A bill passed the St. Petersburg (in Russia, jerk, not America) city parliament almost unanimously yesterday that will fine anyone who spreads "public actions, aimed at propagandizing sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderness among minors." It's the same fine for anyone who says that pedophilia is great. Yay, Russia!

People who say nice things about gayness or the gays will be fined between $100 and $1,600. That's just great. Vitaly Milonov, who sponsored this crazy bill said that the city is facing "a wave popularizing sexual perversion" because of sex ed classes and the "gay cabal" in the entertainment industry. That's absurd. Hollywood? A gay cabal? Oh, guess he's right. Never mind.

As this great article from the New Yorker points out this has less to do with homosexuality, which has greater acceptance in the more cosmopolitan St. Petersburg than other parts of the country, and more to do with the upcoming elections. The United Party is trying to maintain control by getting their right-wing base to the polls by drumming up anti-gay sentiments. Oh please. That will never work. Just look what happened when George W. Bush had anti-gay marriage amendments at the polls in eleven key states in 2004. Oh, wait. Nevermind. It always works.